Yes, I know, it's been a damn long time. So sue me, I haven't had a computer. Just to say, I'm pretty sure my writing style has changed dramatically so I hope it doesn't change the course of the story too badly. Also, I'm gonna keep all the thanks until the last chapter just because I can barely keep up with them…. And that's a signal for you all to applaud yourselves because everyone who's reviewed… well, know that I love you dearly. I wouldn't have even picked this story back up if it weren't for you.

So, without further adieu, is chapter nine.

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Vincent was a man of very few words. He chose to share most of his inner thoughts with himself and his "friends" inside himself. So what if he was a little crazy? That just increased the appeal. As Vincent lay awake in his bed, he was a man of even less words. What could he say that could improve his current situation. He was making bank working in the ER and patching up dumbasses who managed to critically injure themselves, he had a place in the city that he lived in, he had an invaluable circle of friends, and most of all, he just had the most intense night sex with a girl he could do nothing more than cherish. At this point, all he needed was as joint and the power to fly to make this moment any better.

The feeling of a warm body next time him shook him out of his thoughts and he smiled down at a tangled mass of brown hair and smudged eye makeup. This was the girl that could bring the normally stoic Vincent Valentine to a blushing, stuttering mess. She could also bring him to a writhing mass, but that was besides the point. The point was, Vincent was happy. Vincent and everyone else in his was happy. Happy in a way that he/they hadn't been happy in a long time. 'I could ask her to marry me', Vincent thought as Yuffie rubbed her eyes, smudging her hands with black, and propped herself up.

"G'morning." She said, putting over her mouth to cover her yawn and looking at him sheepishly. Despite the fact that they'd been together for months, there's always that first awkward moment after the first time you've had sex.

Vincent leaned over and kisses her forehead. Despite the knots and the huge black smudges, she was absolutely adorable.

"G'morning." He replied, the corners of his lips curving upwards slightly. It could go so far as to be considered a smile on a good day.

"What happened last night?" Yuffie asked, straightening herself out and leaning on Vincent's chest. He moved the arm he was laying on to wrap around her shoulders and pull her closer. Vincent smiled. "After you asked if you could, ahem, spend the night at my place, you figured it would as good a time as any to party your newfound peace of mind so we went down to the Keybar where we proceeded to drink.. a lot." Vincent touched his head slightly at the memory, his grogginess still not quite gone. "I got into a fight with some guy with a glow necklace and we left, somehow made it back to my apartment -" Yuffie cut him off. "I remember everything very clearly from that point on." She grinned. He leaned over and kissed her softly. If now was an appropriate time to be screaming and jumping and whopping and doing other things that involved celebration, he'd be doing it. But, for the time being, he settled on shifting until he was on top of her and grinning at her devilishly. Yuffie felt feeling in certain limbs fade away while others increased. It was that devilish grin and the promise of something more that made her weak for him every time…

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Three in the afternoon is always a great time to get out of bed.

At least, as far as Yuffie Kisaragi is concerned.

It's an especially good time to get out of bed when you're tangled in your boyfriend's sheets, clumsily heading towards the shower while your boyfriend makes coffee.

Indeed, three in the afternoon is a great time to get out of bed.

Vincent was in the kitchen with a cigarette resting between his lips, an omelet on the stove, and coffee on the pot. He usually didn't smoke but every once and a while he felt like he deserved it, and now was most definitely one of those times. Yuffie snuck up behind him, freshly showered and still damp, and plucked the cigarette out of his mouth, taking a drag for herself before placing it on the ashtray on the counter. Exhaling, she leaned over to inspect the cheesy egg mass that was currently on the frying pan.

"I didn't know you were such a culinary genius." She remarked, attempting to stick a greedy finger in the center of the cheesy-goodness but pulling it away when she realized how hot it was.

"Are you attempting to steal cheese from an omelet? That's just wrong on so many levels." Vincent remarked lightly, turning the eggs over to cook the other side. Yuffie simply grinned as a response.

"Once a klepto, always a klepto, I guess." She said, walking back to his room to "borrow" and shirt to wear for the rest of the day. "Oh, and an ollld friend is coming to visit. He's a mix between a the father I never had and the brother I lost, so I want you to meet him. Just… try not to be intimidated by him. And we're all having dinner later tonight, just so you know." She trailed off into laughter while she searched through his drawers looking for the largest shirt he had so she could swim in it. Vincent picked the cigarette back up and inhaled deeply. Yuffie was a darling girl and he cherished her deeply, but there was no avoiding the fact that she was still a helluva lot more young and energetic than he was. A piece of cigarette ash fell into the omelet and he quietly mashed it around to make it unnoticeable and turned off the stove, calling Yuffie in for breakfast. That was enough breakfast making for him for one day.

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They all sat in a midly uncomfortable silence around the table. Yuffie's guest had been a chain-smoking pilot she had met on her journey's whom she had formed a very strange relationship with. He made fun of her, she made fun of him, they'd start fighting violently, and then they'd end up somewhere laughing about it all. But, here they were, in dead silence, in the Moonstruck diner. Vincent was under the scrutiny of Cid and Yuffie was trying to decide who to speak to first.

"I'm gonna go out for a smoke break." Cid finally said, pulling out his pack of Marlboros and getting up. Vincent, feeling the craving from the uncomfortable silence, quietly replied with a 'me too' while getting up as well. Yuffie knew this was her moment to sit behind and let them talk so she smiled and nodded to Vincent while he grasped for his lighter in his pocket, following Cid out the door.

Leaning up against the building, Cid and Vincent stood in silence before Cid finally turned to Vincent, and unreadable expression in his eyes.

"So, you're going out with the brat?" Cid said, his voice gravelly from his years of continuous smoking. Vincent nodded firmly.

"It's been about six months now, and she's really become the most important person in my life." He replied and felt relieved at the softening in Cid's eyes. Cid took one last drag and threw the butt on the ground, stomping it out.

"You better fucking keep it that way or I'll kill ya." He smiled somewhat good naturedly, but somehow Vincent knew that he wasn't joking in the least. Walking back into the restaurant, both men seemed to be much more at ease with each other and Yuffie could easily tell.

"What do you say we get out of here and hop over to the 7th Heaven?" Yuffie suggested, grinning all the while. A more upbeat atmosphere would only help the situation and she hadn't seen Tifa for quite a while. Cid and Vincent nodded, knowing the upbeat café would bring a little more laughter. Getting up from the table, Yuffie walked alongside Vincent, holding his hand while Cid chatted about the places he'd been. Yuffie, smiling broadly all the while, squeezed Vincent's hand gently.

-Flashback-

Yuffie and Vincent were walking back from a friend's party, hand in hand, simply enjoying each other's company. They'd been going out for about five months at this point and were all too comfortable in each other's presence. Vincent seemed to have something on his mind, though, which Yuffie picked up on right away.

"Hey, Vince, what's wrong? It looks like something's on your mind." Yuffie asked, squeezing his hand gently. He snapped out of his thoughts and smiled down at her, a slight blush creeping onto his cheeks.

"I was just wondering if… I dunno. Nevermind." He said, looking away while his blush crept up to his ears. Yuffie would have none of this. She jumped in front of him with her hands on her hips and a determined look on her face.

"Just tell me! It'll be a lot easier that way." She said, almost as a warning. Vincent rolled his eyes and continued walking. Yuffie took this opportunity to jump on top of him.

"Just tellll me. I'm gonna die if you don't tell me!" She screamed into the streets. Vincent grabbed her around the waist and threw her over his shoulder. This left her shrieking as all of this happened before she could notice. In an attempt to free herself, she pounded her fists on his back screaming something about karate chopping him in the neck. Grabbing hold of her once again, Vincent swung her around and set her back on her feet before kissing her quickly, smiling, and walking off once more. Yuffie, realizing the direct approach wasn't working, stalked up to Vincent and quietly got hold of his arm, rubbing his hand against her cheek.

"What is it you wanted to ask me, babe?" She asked. Finally conceding, he stopped walking and looked at her directly.

"Do you want to move in with me?" Vincent asked, completely stoic. Yuffie was taken aback, not quite expecting this, but she smiled softly, kissing his palm.

"Not right now, but you'll know when I'm ready to take you up on it."

-End Flashback-

"I'm ready to take you up on that offer you gave me a month ago, babe." She said, a gentle smile playing on her lips. Vincent looked at her for a moment in shock and then smiled, squeezing her hand back. He'd discuss this later with her… in the bedroom.

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Well, there's chapter nine. If it helps you all any, I have no fucking clue where this is going and I'm just writing shit as it comes to my mind. I'll muddle this over in my head over some Madonna and pie.